Safety device for mine skips, lifts, and the like



March 13, 1928.

"J. ADSERO SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE SKIPS, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nbv. 5. 1926 INVENTOR BY Wffi ATTORNEY5,

March 13, 1928.

J. ADSERO SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE SKIPS, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5. 1926 mvsmorg BY7M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

JOHN ADSERO, 0F MESSINA, TRANSVAAL; SOUTH AFRICA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE SKIES, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed November 5, 1926. Serial No. 146,497.

This invention relates to safety devices for mine skips, lifts and the like and has par ticular reference to a new or improved safety device or en'lergency brake which shall automatically come into operation upon the hauling rope or cable or the king bolt or like member breaking.

Experience has shown that it impracticable to rely upon braking devices, in the event of a hauling rope breaking, which depend solely upon the instantaneous gripping of some part of the shaft timbering. The

great weight of the skip or cage added to the momentum gained in a drop of a few feet only results in the timbering being torn away and the skip crashingto the bottom of the shaft.

In accordance with my invention I provide a safety device or emergency brake for lifts, skips and the like consisting of a plurality of lengths of tapered or graduated cable adapted to pass between the runners or guides and wheels, projectlons, wedges, frictional agents or other bearing members provided on the body of the skip simultaneously with or immediately after a brake or slackness occurring in the hauling gear, the construction and arrangement being such that the tapered or graduated cable becomes so firmly wedged as to bring the skip to a standstill.

According to a convenient embodiment of my invention I make use of grabs of instantaneous gripping action only to secure the thin ends of the tapered or graduated ropes and incidentally the actuating mechanism to the timbering. This mechanism parts readily from the skip roof as it is not permanently attached to it, merely being held in position by dowels.

The mechanism with the ends of the ropes having become attached, the weight of the skip comes upon the ropes. These ropes are tapered and as the skip continues its downward progress a thicker section of rope is momentarily being brought into use. The rope lies between a member or members which may be a series of fixed wheels and the runner or guide so that the farther down the skip goes more severe is the grip until it is brought to a standstill within the distance of the rope provided.

In order that my invention may be readily understood and carried into practice reference is hereby made to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a skip or cage constructed in accordance with a convenient embodiment of my invention only one rope being shown and a portion of the runner or guide,

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same the ropes being omitted to more clearly illus trate the construction,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of one half of the actuating mechanism,

Fig. i is a part plan of the same, and Fig. 5 is another sectional elevation of the same with the grabs removed.

Referring to these drawings wherein like letters'of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever occurring throughout all the figures a. indicates the skip or cage and Z) the runner or guide on which the skip a travels, its position thereon being maintained by the aid of parallel angle pieces 0. Situated on the roof of the skip or cage a is a frame including two bearers 0! connected by means of distance rods 6 and loosely held in position on the skip or cage 0; by means of the dowels f. Secured to the roof of the skip or cage is the double T bracket 9 between the lugs of which is pivoted the holding down lever h. Beneath the foot of this lever it is a bed plate j also secured to the roof of the skip or cage (1 Gripped between the holding down lever 71. and the bed plate 7' are links is pivoted to the lugs of the collars Z which are secured to the twin shafts m which work in and project through the bearers d and which also carry the grabs. a, which are secured. by means of key pins On the shaft m are the collars etc which are secured the small ends of the tapered ropes p which pass between the shaft guides b and a series of wheels q thence to guide pulleys and on to a convenient light attachment .9. The usual type of king bolt is indicated by t and from the eye thereof extend tension members 4) for the purpose of exerting a pull on the holding down lever h. The power to operate the shafts m is suppliedby a spring w.

In operation the skip when being hoisted has the grabs a turned back out of action against the force of the spring to and they are held in this position by means of the holding down lever h to which tension is applied by means of the connections to the king bolt t. This connection is adjusted to the required amount of tension by suitable means such as a turnbuckle or the like. In addition to holding the grabs n back the action of the holding-down lever h is to press the bearers (Z which carry the entire actuating mechanism and the rope ends down on to the roof of the skip or cage a. Beyond this pressure there is no other at tachment and lateral movement is prevented "b. means of four clowels 7". Should the hoisting rope 'breakthe'kingbolt 15 drops and the tension on w is relaxed the grabs a are free and swing round and bite into the run- =ne-r ofgu1de'b. The bearers (Z and mechanism together WVltll the ropes p are now anchored to the guides "b. The skip a continu-es its downward progress causing the ropes "to be drawn through the space beinstead of the cable the connection 2; parts by reason of its weakness and the sequence of events is :asa'bove mentioned.

What I claim is 1. A safety device for mine skips, lifts and the like including a skip body and guides therefor, bearing members on said body, a plurality of lengths of tapered cable passing between the guides and the bearing members, and means actuated in response to breakage or slackness of hauling gear for the skip body to cause the tapered cable to become firmly wedged and to bring the skip to a stop.

2. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the last mentioned means includes means for securing the relatively small ends of the tapered cable firmly inposition upon the guides aml free of the descending skip upon breakage or slackness occurring in the skip hauling gear.

3. A safety device as claimed in claim 1. characterized in that the last mentioned means includes grab members securing the ends of the cable, said grab members being adapted to engage the guides and together with their actuating mechanism part from "the skip and remain suspended on the guides upon breakage or slackness occurring in the hauling gear.

Signed at Johannesburg, in the Transvaal Province of the Union of South Africa,

this 5th day of October, A. D. 1926.

JOHN ADSERO. 

